Every six months, the Council of the European Union changes of Presidency. The State members regularly rotate; each country launches new work and supervises the ongoing projects. “Member states holding the presidency work together closely in groups of three, called 'trios'. [...] The trio sets long-term goals and prepares a common agenda determining the topics and major issues that will be addressed by the Council over an 18-month period. On the basis of this program, each of the three countries prepares its own more detailed 6-month program”, the website of the Council of the EU reads.
Starting from January 1 and until June 30, 2022, France will take over the Presidency of the EU. This Tuesday November 9, Emmanuel Macron introduced the outlines of the projects he intends to instate when he will preside over the Council of the EU.
The presidency will be a challenge during this period of health, political and economical crisis, the head of state warns. “It is in this context of shock of powers and destabilization of many areas in the world that our country will be entrusted with the Presidency of the European Union”, he announced during his speech.
President Macron is said he is willing to play a major part in this union of the 27. “Without the EU, we could not have had the vaccine as early as we have. Our partners are not foreigners. Our neighbors are facing the same waves as we are”, he claimed, showing his will to work hand in hand with each State.
For the first six months of 2022, the French President intends to collaborate. “It is with our European partners we will try to protect the external borders as well as possible, to keep rebuilding a peaceful relationship with Africa, a relationship based on stability and growth, to better regulate all digital leaders, to build a strategy to cut our carbon dioxide emissions down”.
Ecology, international business, migration policy, new technologies and European rights: the program is heavy. Yet, there is nothing new in this statement; these projects have been already discussed and instated long ago.
To date and until the end of 2021, Slovenia has the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, supported by Germany and Portugal.
